Attenuating and retraction device

ABSTRACT

An attenuating and retraction device for movable furniture parts, particularly sliding doors or windows, which are guided on one or more carriages which are guided on rails. The attenuating and retraction device is mounted in a carriage provided on the closing side of the furniture part and a catching hook arranged on this side engages in the drive member for tensioning and releasing the retraction device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an attenuating and retraction device for movable furniture parts, particularly sliding doors or windows, which are guided on one or more carriages which travel on rails.

2. Description of the Related Art

In conventional devices of this type, the device is mounted on a sliding door, a wardrobe, a fixed frame or the like. The retraction device which has been tensioned during the opening procedure by means of a lockable drive member now supports the closing procedure and the attenuating device attenuates the final closing procedure.

However, this attenuating and retraction device has the disadvantage that it is mounted so as to be visible from the outside and additional fastening means, particularly spacers, are required. Moreover, a precise positioning of the attenuating device is required when it is being mounted. In addition, mounting the device on an already existing furniture piece is cumbersome and is unattractive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a compact attenuating and retraction device which is not visible from the outside, wherein the device does not require any additional mounting pieces and which also can be mounted on already existing furniture parts without having to work on the furniture part.

In accordance with the present invention, this object is met by mounting the attenuating and retraction device in a carriage provided on the closing side of the furniture part and a catching hook arranged on this side engages in the drive member for tensioning and releasing the retraction device.

The configuration according to the present invention is very simple because the essential parts are arranged in the carriage and a catch hook must only be provided on the closing side of the furniture part in or at the rail. The entire device is mounted invisibly in the carriage and no additional assembly means are required. A precise positioning of the attenuating device is also not necessary because the catching hook and the drive member or stopper is mounted so as to operate together with the carriage and, therefore, no errors can occur when mounting the stopper. Moreover, since the device is mounted in the carriage, there are no protruding obstacles which could limit the opening movement.

In accordance with another feature of the invention, the catching hook is mounted on a stopper which is required for the carriage, wherein in turn, the stopper is mounted in or at the rail. Preferably, the carriage with the attenuating and retraction device has, in the closing direction, two rollers in front of the device and one roller behind the device, wherein, seen in closing direction, the retraction device is screwed in the carriage in front of the attenuating device.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a rail with carriage and closed sliding door;

FIG. 2 is the same illustration as FIG. 1 with the sliding door being shown in an intermediate position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the attenuating and retraction device; and

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the stopper with catching hook.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in the drawings, two carriages 2 and 3 are arranged in the rail 1. The carriage 3 arranged on the rear is seen in closing direction 4 has two successive rollers between which a suspension device 6 for a sliding door 7 is provided. The front carriage 2 is provided at its front end 8 also with two successively arranged rollers 9 and a suspension device 10 therebetween. The rollers 9 are followed by an extension 11 for supporting an attenuating and retraction device 12, wherein the rear end of the extension rests on another roller 13.

A stopper 15, seen in FIG. 4, for the carriage 2 is fastened to the end 14 of the rail 1 on the closing side thereof. Arranged on the carriage 2 is a catching hook 16 intended for engagement in a drive member 17 of the retraction device 19 arranged in the closing direction 4 in front of the attenuating device 18, as seen in FIG. 3. A tension spring, not shown in the drawing, is arranged in the retraction device 19, wherein the free end of the tension spring is connected to the drive member 17. This drive member 17 slides on a rail of the retraction device 12 which has at its end 14 on the closing side an oblique surface 20 for engagement of the drive member 17.

Before the sliding door 7 is opened as seen in FIG. 4, the drive member 17 is located in its rear end position in the retraction device 19 and the catching hook 16 engages in the drive member 17. During the opening procedure, the drive member 17 is pulled by the stationary hook 16 in the direction of the oblique surface 20 while the spring is simultaneously tensioned and, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the drive member 17 engages in the oblique surface 20, and the catching hook 16 is released and the opening procedure can be concluded.

If this position is reached during the closing procedure of the sliding door 7, the catching hook 16 once again engages in the drive member 17 and unlocks the drive member, so that the spring force is released and the sliding door 7 is pulled into the position according to FIG. 1. During this movement, the final closing movement is attenuated in the known manner by the attenuating device 18 until the closing position has been reached.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. 

1. An attenuating and retraction device for movable furniture parts guided on one or more carriages on rails, wherein the retraction device which is tensioned during the opening procedure by a lockable drive member supports the closing procedure and the attenuating device attenuates the final closing procedure, wherein the attenuating and retraction device is mounted in a carriage located on a closing side of the furniture piece, and a catching hook fixedly mounted on the closing side engages in the drive member for tensioning and releasing the retraction device.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein a stopper for the carriage with the attenuating and retraction device is arranged on the closing side of the furniture piece in or on the rail.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the catching hook is fastened to the stopper.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the carriage with the attenuating and retraction device has two rollers in the closing direction in front of the device and one roller behind the device.
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the retraction device is screwed together with the attenuating device in the carriage in front of the attenuating device in the closing direction. 